1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to table saw table extensions. In particular it relates to a table saw extension having means for buoyantly supporting material to be cut on air exiting from orifices in the top of the table extension. The buoyantly supported material is easily maneuvered into the saw and maintained in the proper cutting attitude.
2. Prior Background Art
In using a table saw to cut boards and sheet materials, the boards and sheets must be supported as they are guided onto the table saw for cutting. Generally the work material will overhang the table saw. Thus, woodworkers have devised various table saw extensions to facilitate guiding material onto the table saw.
Frequently several saw horses will be roughed together to bear a flat surface set level with the top of the saw table. Materials to be cut are carried on the flat surface supported by the saw hoses. This method is one of expediency and seldom performs satisfactorily because of the friction between the material to be cut and the flat surface; and, because of the instability of the saw horse support.
A more expensive method of supporting material to be cut is made up of one or more steel rollers rotatedly clamped between steel rails. The rollers are typically supported upon adjustable pipe stands such that their height can be adjusted to match that of the table saw surface. Often, these pipe stand structures are unstable and will tip when the workmen bears down on a work piece in attempting to slide it into the saw blade.
For a workman to feed a sheet of material to the blade of a table saw, the workman must bear down on the sheet to hold it in contact with the surface of the table top of the saw. The sheet material must then be urged forward into the revolving saw blade. To assure a straight line cut, the sheet material must also be brought to bear against a guide fence which is set above the saw table and parallel to the cutting blade. Thus, in addition to lifting the sheet of material onto its support in the first instance, the workman must then push downwardly to hold the sheet against the table top, forwardly to guide the work piece into the blade, and laterally to guide the material against the guide fence. In the coarse of a day's work this effort can prove very fatiguing; and, often, the workman suffers injury to his back or exacerbates a weakened spine condition.
It is an objective of the invention to provide an extension of the work surface of a table saw such that material to be cut on the saw is supported in a low friction manner so as to ease the burden on the workman in guiding the material into the saw.
It is particular objective of the invention to provide means and method for buoyantly air supporting material to be cut on a table saw.